Local Girl Scout Creates Safe Space Mural
Warwick, R.I. (May 21, 2026)—Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England is excited and proud to announce that Maya Shapiro from Wrentham, MA has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting. Maya’s Gold Award project is titled Safe Space Mural. For her Gold Award project, Maya created a mural of the LGBTQ+ flag on the wall of King Philip High School. The mural included handprints of people in the school who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Included in the mural, is a QR code that brings you to a website that explains the project. On the website, there is a section dedicated to experiences of people in the LGBTQ+ community that other people can read and use to find a sense of belonging. The website also includes links to helpful resources. The mural has had an impact on the community, helping students find their identity and helping them feel comfortable in school knowing that it is an accepting environment.
“This project was important to me because as someone who is a part of the LGBTQ+ community and throughout my time in high school I saw my fellow peers struggle with their identity or the fear of coming out. I was a frightened kid coming to high school when I was a freshman. Some of that anxiety rooted from being gay. I created a mural, in one of the very populated spots in the school to show everyone, those who are closeted, those who are out, or those who are figuring themselves out that it is ok to be gay and that there are so many people that accept you. No matter who you turn out to be.” said Maya Shapiro, Gold Award Girl Scout.
MAYA
About the Girl Scout Gold Award
Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world while earning this award. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, acknowledges the power behind each Gold Award Girl Scout’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers. They are our future, and it looks bright!
Maya will join the millions of Girl Scout alum around the world who have successfully created, developed, and executed “Take Action” projects that have positively impacted their communities and the world, earning Girl Scouts’ highest award.
Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, strong and empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs. The 2026 Gold Award Girl Scout class identified issues in their communities, took action, and found or created solutions to earn their Gold Awards, addressing real-life problems such as environmental sustainability, racial justice, mental and physical well-being, and gender inequality in STEM.
According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Seventy-two percent (72%) said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship. Changing the world doesn’t end when a Girl Scout earns her Gold Award. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.
Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls and gender-expansive youth can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.gssne.org/join.
We Are Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs across Southeastern New England, girls and gender-expansive youth of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves in a safe space as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges. Backed by strong friendships and trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. Girl Scouts feel comfortable trying new things without the pressure to be perfect, speaking their minds, and processing their emotions in healthy ways. They discover how being different makes them special, strengthens their sense of belonging, and, ultimately, makes them proud to be themselves. That’s the magic of Girl Scouting. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit gssne.org, follow @gssne on Instagram, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GSSNE.